3 comments:

I think part of what makes a good Kata is not necessarily the problem, but the attitude you take to solving it.

For example, a problem that has a difficult domain to understand or create a solution for (e.g. a Project Euler brain teaser) covers a different set of skills then something like making a wiki using werkzeug and AJAX, or focusing on TDD technique with bowling scores.

As long as you have a focus on what skill you're trying to practice and the problem offers enough opportunity to practice that skill I think it makes a good Kata.

I think one definition of a good kata is one which takes you outside your comfort zone, to stretch your abilities.

I think we will continue to see more katas, Dave Thomas came to the idea while working on an algorithm and trying many different types of approaches. So software craftsman will continue to stumble upon these katas (typically within their problem domain) and hopefully publish their findings.

I try to point this out to fellow co-workers when they get caught up on something for a period of time unexpectedly .. hmmm, is there a code kata in there?

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About Me

Steven F. Lott is a consultant, teacher, author and software developer with over 35 years of experience building software of every kind, from specialized control systems for military hardware to large data warehouses to web service API's.